Germany's Economy Ministry has confirmed it has halted Rheinmetall's (RHMG.DE) export of combat simulation gear to Russia, going beyond recently imposed EU sanctions which block future defense contracts.Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Democrat (SPD), has blocked the deal which was approved by Germany's previous government, the ministry said.

• August 4, 2014

A lull in fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists allowed international experts on Saturday to resume their search for human remains at the wreckage of a Malaysian airliner downed in eastern Ukraine last month.

• August 2, 2014

International experts found the remains of more victims of the downed Malaysian airliner in east Ukraine on Friday but fighting nearby between government forces and pro-Russian rebels renewed security concerns around the wreckage.

• August 2, 2014

NATO is not prepared for the threat of a Russian attack on one of its members, British lawmakers said on Thursday, calling for more equipment and troops to be positioned in the Baltic States, which, they said, were particularly vulnerable.

• July 31, 2014

Russia fought back on Wednesday over new U.S. and EU sanctions imposed over Ukraine, where fighting between Moscow-backed rebels and government troops has intensified since a Malaysian airliner was shot down.

• July 30, 2014

The European Union agreed for the first time on Tuesday to impose broad sanctions against Russian oil companies, banks and defence firms, by far the strongest international action yet over Moscow's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.

• July 29, 2014

On the last day of May, a surface-to-air rocket was signed out of a military base near Moscow where it had been stored for more than 20 years.

• July 29, 2014

Ukraine said its troops had taken more territory from pro-Russian rebels near the site where Malaysian flight MH17 was brought down, as international investigators said fighting was preventing them reaching the crash location.

• July 28, 2014